Keep Passwords Secure with Encryption

Using a text file for passwords has always been handy. It's portable and you can send it whenever you need it. But it is inherently insecure. There are a lot of tools that can help you secure your valuable passwords, especially in these days of hack attacks and prevalence of intrusions.

One tool I recommend to friends is Keepass. KeePass is an open source project that encrypts your passwords to keep them protected from prying eyes. It supports AES (Advanced Encryption Standard) and Twofish algorithm to encrypt passwords. These are considered 2 of the most secure ways to encrypt data. In addition, Keepass encrypts all data it keeps and not just the passwords, so even your usernames are protected. It also features on-the-fly encryption, which means even if your computer freezes while you're using it, your data is safe. Keepass is also portable, so it doesn't need to be installed in a particular computer. That means it doesn't leave any traces on a computer you use. Convenient, especially when you have Keepass on a USB stick and you ask to use a friend's computer to access your accounts online. No worries from keyloggers as well. While it is running, you can press a hotkey and Keepass can automatically fill in the password when it detects your logging in with a username you saved in it. You can also generate very hard-to-crack passwords by using its random password generator. Since your using it already for keeping your passwords, you need not worry about remembering a difficult password. Keepass has a ton of advanced user features as well. You can check them out here: http://keepass.info/features.html. Best of all, it is free!

Did I get your attention now? Here's how to start using Keepass in 4 easy steps:

1. Download the portable version of Keepass from http://keepass.info/download.html:

2. Extract the files from the .ZIP folder:

3. Click on KeePass.exe from the extracted files:

4. Start typing in your passwords!

If you need something more robust to work across multiple devices, there are other options. For one, Keeper Data Vault. Keeper Data Vault is compatible with PC, MAC and Linux operating systems and apps for mobile devices like the iPhone, iPod Touch, iPad, BlackBerry(r), Android, Vodaphone 360/Symbian are available. It's available in English, Chinese, Spanish, French, German, Greek, Italian, Japanese, and Portuguese. It uses also uses 128-Bit AES cipher encryption and syncs your data across all your computers and devices. A random password generator comes standard and is aptly called 'Dice'. Keeper also supports automatically filling in usernames and passwords, convenient when using mobile touchscreen devices like iPhones and Android phones.

The most robust security feature on it has to be the Self-Destruct Mode. If set to that option, Keeper erases all data after 5 unsuccessful login attempts. If you tavel a lot and you have your passwords stored in Keeper on a mobile device or laptop, this has to be the single-most important security feature if ever you loose your device or laptop. So if you happen to leave your phone or your laptop on the train or taxi, you know your passwords are still secure. You also don't have to worry about your data on your other computers or devices either. Even with Self-Destruct turned on, your other devices are not affected. Since Keeper syncs data, everything can be restored by using the secure backup & restore features.

If you're interested in trying out Keeper, you can get it here: Keeper 50% Off. If you use that link, you can get a 50% discount by using the code KP50 at checkout.

So keep your passwords safe and download these 2 applications. Be careful out there.

Update Your Facebook Status With Twitter

The other day I was asked by a friend how I update my Facebook status even if I'm offline. I just said I updated through my mobile. Well, that's half true. I actually set it up so my Facebook status is updated with every tweet I post. I have been using Twitter a lot longer than Facebook and it seemed logical that I should use Twitter status updates to likewise update my Facebook status. Good thing about it is I can update my Twitter status by sending a text message to @tweetitow (more on that in this blog post: Send Twitter Updates Thru SMS).

Here's how I set up Facebook to update with my Twitter updates...

1. Login to Facebook and use Search get to the Twitter application page. It's best to just use Search within Facebook, the URL changes from user to user so I won't link to it directly:

2. Once there, click on Go to Application:



3. Authorize the app by clicking the Allow button:


4. Key-in your Twitter details:

5. After that you'll be redirected to your personal page where you could tweet from within Facebook. Click on the Allow Twitter to Update Your Facebook Status button:

And you are all set. All your tweets will appear in your Facebook as status updates. Happy tweeting!

Send Twitter Updates Thru SMS

Updating Twitter using my mobile used to be expensive. Since I am in the Philippines, I was limited to sending international SMS to Twitter's UK number. But then I discovered phTwitters. Then it stopped working. It was free after all and nobody was required to pay anything for it. I'm not really sure if they stopped because they didn't have enough resources to sustain operations. No matter, though. I found @tweetitow.

With @tweetitow, I simply send a text message to their number and it gets posted on my Twitter page. The major plus to using it is it's free, aside that is from the cost of sending a regular text message that is.

Here's how to sign up and use it:

1. Register by sending an SMS to any of the following numbers (really useful if you have unlimited texting, there's a number for each carrier):

• Globe: 0927-338-9183
• Smart: 0928-102-0579
• Sun: 0923-986-0673

2. Use the following format (without the quotes): 'REG username password'
3. You'll get a text confirmation from a different number.
4. Reply to that number to have your status updated.

There, you should be all set then. Be sure to drop by this Tweetitow's FAQ's to make the most out of service. If you're new to Twitter, drop by the Twitter Help page to learn more about how it works.

If you enjoy the convenience of using @tweetitow, please consider donating load to them to keep operations running. They don't charge anything so they need help maintaining the costs for cellphone numbers used in the service. As much as possible, please send call cards instead of e-load or autoload. They will be able to use call card load a lot longer than the electronic kind that expires in a matter of days. Just send a Direct Message to @tweetitow for details on how you can send your valuable donations to keep the Filipino tweeters tweeting from their mobiles :-)

Happy tweeting!

Kindle - Now International!

Just read this a few minutes ago. The Kindle can now be shipped, with the wireless subscriptions, internationally. I checked the link that had the country-specific information and the Philippines is one of the first 100 countries it can be sent to. I can have a Kindle and use it here!




I've been wondering about getting one since the first gen came out but I never thought they'd be bringing it to the Philippines this soon! This is another great geek gift. If you have a geek in the family and you're looking for a perfect gift for the Holidays, get your geek a Kindle.

And by the way, that makes me wonder whose 3G network they are on? Smart or Globe?